Death Flowers
by patterns-at-dusk
Summary: She was becoming invisible like a ghost and was withering away like a flower. However, what they failed to realize was that winter had already come. The flower was dead. /Sequel to Ghost Flowers - SasuFemNaru/


As mentioned in the description, this story is a sequel to my story called _**Ghost Flowers. **_If you had not read that one then please do not read further without at least scanning through it.

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters created and trademarked by Masashi Kishimoto in the Naruto universe. They belong to their respected owners. I am not making any money off of this story. I do, however, own the plot of this story and Ryoku Uchiha. Please do not use him or any of the written work as shown below without my written permission. I also do not own the lyrics from 'It Was Written In Blood' by Bring Me the Horizon.**

**WARNINGS: Violence, coarse language, suggestive themes, dark themes, substance abuse, genderswitch, demonic possession and SasuFemNaru. **

**Please keep in mind ****that at this point, Naruto is suffering from symptoms of major depressive disorder and some psychosis/minor schizophrenia due to the influence of the Kyuubi. Although these are only symptoms and not full blown diagnosed disorders, ****they may make some feel uncomfortable as well as act as triggers. Please read with caution and if any of these things make you feel uncomfortable, PLEASE DO NOT READ. I cannot be blamed for anything once you choose to read further. **

_**When I warn against dark themes, I mean it!**_

_**Paragraphs in italics**_**- flash backs, dreams, and thoughts  
normal- present**

**Enjoy:)**

* * *

_Like roses…  
We wither, we die  
Like roses…  
We fall apart  
Fall apart  
And fall apart…  
Like roses…  
…_

_We die_

* * *

_It was hard to believe… that after all this time… she could finally, _finally_ breathe easy again._

_Despite the fact that Kabuto… Zetsu… Obito's haunting final words… and Raikage still managed to plague her mind._

_Then, her new found breathes were taken away by this crushing rage she felt; the lack of control she hadn't felt in such a long time… this new found darkness dormant within her…_

_She forced herself to calm down – ignore the clawing savagery of the darkness – as if anything, she promised on her life that she would continue to make this world peaceful. She would grind her bones to dust and fight until her veins severed if it meant that everyone could breathe easily again; until everyone was happy and until everyone had a home._

_She would make Ryoku's future safe, Sasuke's future safe, Karin's future safe... Everyone's future safe._

_Even if it meant casting her own future aside._

.

.

**Six Months Later**

.

.

**Death Flowers**

**Prologue: Ice**

.

"_We are in _your hell,_ Uzumaki, the dark part of your soul that you have yet to abolish. The part that will always be there, will always be growing, and will always be looking for a way out until face your own demons. How unfortunate that although you have courage to fight the evil of the world, you fail to see the evil within yourself. It is… delightful."_

_._

_._

Everything was cold.

Emotionless and monochrome; dark and unfamiliar as the sky began to cry in heart-wrenching sobs over a once glorious city reduced to filthy and decaying dystopian ruins. The sky's tears were seeping through her skin with an icy penetration that felt like spindle and needle fingers picking at her slowly cooling heart.

The skilled hands were sewing thin webs of chilled water – said webs hardening into a tough exterior that she feared she wouldn't have the passion and ability to melt off anymore.

On a more contrary scale, the freshly frosted tears of the heavens felt more like a burning blaze of punishment on her decrepit arm. Her lambaste skin was still adjusting to the rawness of the elements as her arm was deemed healed and the cast had just come off. She wiggled her fingers experimentally, eyes staring with hardened repulse at the twisted and tortured flesh.

_Scarred_.

Baa-chan had told her that even if the Kyuubi would finally begin to cooperate with her again, the extent of the damage was beyond severe and at bodily limits. Her arm would never be that smooth, sun-kissed and unblemished again. It was a permanent reminder of what had happened all those months ago… The chakra veins in her arm had once again been severed, yet charred in such a strange way that even Tsunade, _the medical goddess_, had yet to understand the full extent of the damage.

"_You're lucky brat," _she had scolded, massaging her arm with a cooling gel that smelled of herbs and spice.

"_With this amount of mutilation, you should never be able to mold chakra again. Ever. Actually, we should have had to amputate your arm from all the damage done. Strangely, your arm is the oddest case of fourth degree burns I've ever seen. The burning has extended entirely throughout the subcutaneous tissue and your skin, tendons, and subcutaneous fat have been completely destroyed. However, some of your nerves have been restored and your blood and chakra veins have been healed. More so, your bone is completely unharmed and your tendons have almost been restored to their previous normality. _

_This is no doubt that damned fox's doing as these sudden progressions in your healing are… astonishing and abnormal… as if there was no damage in the first place. Considering how your body's regenerative abilities were below average and have suddenly spiked up beyond your normal capacities… this is troublesome. I'm not exactly sure what has happened yet, but for the time being, until we've run some more tests, it'd be best if you didn't mold any chakra and avoided combat."_

Tsunade was convinced and indoctrinated that the Kyuubi was behind this as the beast never did anything that wasn't too its favour; especially considering how it had refused to assist her just months ago.

Further more, just staring at the arm brought back memories that she was trying to repress. Memories that with current events were better to be forgotten, despite the fact that she could _never _forget. It made her sick to know that Obito's and Kyuubi's words had affected her so much. The worst part of the issue was that those evocative words were the least of her complications. The problem ran much deeper than she was willing to admit.

"_You __will__ become insanity,"_ she could hear the voice mock in the back of her mind in nothing but a sweet whisper; tempting and provoking her just like every other day.

It was hard to breathe.

Her mind was invaded with sickening images that she could only lick her lips at in the oh-so-appealing, and tantalizing, thoughts of a loss of control along with the seductive taste of insanity that would forever be ingrained.

She began to pant slowly and the air escaping from her lungs came out in smoke as the hot air mixed with the cold touch of rain. She needed to calm herself down, split the information she had received, and take it in slowly.

Even after all these months, it was still overwhelming.

She was devastating herself and was allowing herself to loose her head. She couldn't loose her head at a time like this. _Never again. _

"_Naruto," Tsunade began carefully, refusing to face her as she stared at the greying clouds outside of her hospital office window. "Sasuke has awakened from his comatose."_

_Air escaped her lungs, the colour draining from her face as her heart began to pound harder and harder. She feared that it would burst out of her chest and run to him if it could. _

"…_How is he?" she barely managed to whisper, shock killing her throat, longing seeping into her bones, and desire slaying her heart. _

_Much to her surprise, Tsunade began to chortle bitterly, shaking her head as she continued to look out the window. _

"_He flew into a rage, took out five ANBU, and had to be sedated before he activated his Mangeykou Sharringan. We put another seal on him…" _

_She bit her lip in response, anger discolouring her blood with the rage she felt at the thought of yet another one of those horrible seals placed onto Sasuke. She stayed silent for moments, coaching herself to calm down, that although this was wrong; there was nothing she could do the change Tsunade's mind when she thought something was for the best._

_Her eyes trained hard on the crippled flesh of her arm with memories of his voice, his touch, the very essence of his smell as he brought her out of insanity. She had gotten through to him at one point… despite Itachi doing most of the work, she remembered everything. She knew him… and Sasuke was the kind of guy who let his actions do the talking in supply for the irrelevance of words. _

"_I want to see him."_

_Tsunade turned to her immediately, hazel eyes staring at her with ferocity. _

"_Absolutely not."_

"_Whaaa – ? Why not!"_

"_Because, Gaki," she started off in a sickly sweet tone. "Uchiha is a ferocious tsunami of agony and hatred, you are an emotional and psychological wreck, and your son is suffering from night terrors just from locking eyes with his biological father. If you see him, he's going to _break you_ all over again and right now, you have a child that needs your love more than ever." _

"Fuck you Baa-chan," she muttered bitterly, pulling out the long glove she had swiped from her office. She fingered the long and elastic material slowly, before sneering at her corpse like arm and pulling the material over it; relishing how smoothly it came on due to the slickness of the rain. Admiring her work, she figures she can avoid the questions about the freakishly long glove reaching up to her shoulder and pretend that she could still use her arm just like everyone else could.

With one insecurity momentarily gone, she moved onto the next, _hating _Tsunade so much for denying her the right to see Sasuke yet _hating herself_ even more for understanding the reasoning perfectly. It was in her own selfish yearning that she avariciously hungered to see the Uchiha; preposterously _hoping_ that he would have changed.

Hoping that maybe he could accept everything and try to make a life for himself here.

_You idiotic and naïve girl. You want him to love you! Run his fingers through your hair and down every curve of your body and __fuck you__ – !_

"_Shut the fuck up!" _she growled with a feral ire, tearing out the roots of her hair as she could hear the voice mock her again.

_You want him to become a good little citizen of Konoha and play daddy so that maybe, with some small chance, your son doesn't grow up __hating him__! _

"I said _SHUT UP!" _ She practically screamed, biting her tongue to blood in order to calm herself down. These were just Kyuubi's usual taunts, she tells was trying to make her break and she refused to break. Uzumaki Naruto had more strength than that; more self control that this; and an iron hard determination that would lock away her rampant hormones for as long as necessary before everything would go back to normal.

_Do you honestly think everything will go back to normal? He hates you! __He tried to kill you!_

"But then he tried to save me…" she reasoned aloud, fingers having dug into her deep pockets as the cold was beginning to freeze them solid. Finding her prize in a small carton box, she pulls out the questionable material, weighing her options as to whether she should continue arguing with her mind, or drive the demon out for a couple of hours.

Choosing the later, she slowly, with painstaking curiosity, pulls out the small tube of poison and allows her fingers to run down it slowly, the small shape snuggly fitting between her fingers as if it had always belonged there. Her nerves rattling her to the core, with a shaking hand she brought the toxicity between her trembling lips, pulls out Shikamaru's matches, and lights away.

She inhaled quickly, allowing the smoke to fill her lungs to a brim before she sputtered a cough, taking the cancerous monstrosity into her fingers as she heaved over and continued to cough as if Itachi's crow was forcing its way up her throat again. Then the buzz hit her.

A tingling sensation ran down her toes and finally, _finally_, her mind is muffled and silenced.

Having stood upright again, she eyed the elegant cigarette – seeming so harmless yet she knew so much better – taking another drag as her mind began to numb further.

"_I know about your little problem Naruto."_

_She turns around, glare in check at Shikamaru leaning against a wall, hands deep in his pockets as he eyes her sharply. _

"_Yeah, yeah you all think I have a problem with my 'Sasuke obsession'. Why don't you all just fuck off and leave me to my misery alone."_

_He smirks, sadly, before moving towards her slowly. _

"_As true as that is, that's not what I'm talking about." He's nose to nose with her now, a concerned hand placed on her shoulder. _

"_You're an alcoholic."_

_The colour drains from her face and she feels her heart pumping as one of her most shameful secrets has been revealed to her face. She begins to splutter out excuses, trying to calm herself down in order to say something believable even though she knows it's completely and utterly in vain. _

_Shikamaru was a genius after all. _

_The only thing she can come up with is a strangled, "h- how?"_

"_You'd be surprised what your son spilled to us when you were out for a week."_

_She looks down, shame marring her face as she refuses to meet his eyes. _

"_I'm not criticizing Naruto. It's no secret that you keep a lot more skeleton's in your closest then everyone else. And maybe, it's everyone else's fault for relying on you so much – "_

"_Who else knows?" she interrupts, usual heavenly blue eyes sharpened to ice. _

"_Tsunade, Kakashi, and I. No one else." _

_She nods in response, cursing herself for being so stupid. Of course while she was in a coma Tsunade would have seen the alcohol levels in her blood. Of course she would have had to tell not only Kakashi, but Shikamaru of all people. __Of course__ Ryoku would have spilled his guts about it since she __knew,__ he knew, despite how many times she tried to lie to herself. _

"_Hey," he suddenly breathes, pressing a small square box into her hands. She looks down and laugh._

"_Cigarettes, Shikamaru? I already have a shit load of bad habits. I don't need any more."_

"_Think of it as a substitute. When you feel the craze to get boozed up go smoke instead. It'll give you the buzz you need but you'll still be able to think clearly. I'm sure Karin and Ryoku would appreciate it more than you getting piss-ass drunk."_

To any god out there, she suddenly thanked them for Shikamaru's genius.

She felt just as relaxed as when she had the sake running through her system. Plus, the taste was just as bad so it's not as if anything had changed there.

Sitting down on an empty bench, she continued to smoke her poison leisurely as the rain began to lessen; calming from its earlier tantrum. Now that she could think clearly for the time being, she knew exactly why the fox's demented chakra was seeping into her thoughts more and more each day.

Guilt.

The more she stayed in Konoha, the more she saw her friends alienate themselves from her, the more she listened to the whispers of how she was the lover of her traitor; how Ryoku was a demon spawn with unnatural power, and how they never should have trusted the Kyuubi's egregious container to save them in the first place… the more she understood why Sasuke never wanted to return to this place.

These people were dying.

Caught in lies created by their own prejudicial and corrupt personalities, they preferring to condemn what they did not understand and feared to embrace enlightenment; to figure out the best solution to the problem without any bias. That was Konoha's infamous 'Will of Fire'.

The will to burn everything to the ground and let 'bygones be bygones'.

What was right and wrong would never be important. The only thing that mattered was the bliss of ignorance as everyone lived in their perfect little secure lives while the rest of the world rotted. After all, was it not easier to burn problems then understand them? Was it not better to burn the dying flower then realize that with a bit of love and water, it would be revived to its former glory?

Konoha burned its heroes.

It burned those who were seen as threats and those who were no longer needed.

It burned the Uchiha.

It burned her.

And now it would burn her son.

The fiery will of Konoha's hatred would live on.

And now, everyone was ignorant to that very same will living within Sasuke; a dangerous and uncontrollable blaze they had brought parented themselves.

Worst of all, she had forced him to come back to this place of decay just after he had escaped it. She had guilt tripped him unconsciously with Itachi's crow and consciously with each and every one of her actions. She had embraced Konohagakure's fire better then anyone and struggled to see the reasoning of Sasuke's struggling as her own need for him was more important. She had completely disregarded the facts…

Even more heinous, she decided whilst staring at the dancing spirits of smoke, was that he had gone through a full night of torture just to get a stupid seal stitched into his skin.

A parasitic seal that leeched his chakra and forced him to be loyal to Konoha.

_You could never understand me_ her mind replays over and over again.

She thought she _finally_ understood him…

And now…

She felt so foolish for blindly believing that.

She never understood him. No matter how hard she tried.

Now, due to her own foolishness, he was a prisoner within these decomposing walls.

His very own personal hell.

She understood that feeling now, because she was just as much prisoner as he was. A simple jinchuuriki – the greatest weapon a village can achieve; destined to live a life of loneliness and pain; ultimately hated by those around them.

To be fair, the village's sudden polarized reaction to her was not as intense as it used to be. The shinobi treated her like some kind of _god_ – which was enough trouble on its own. At first the flocking attention was annoying and slightly creepy. Now, her fellow shinobi saw her as untouchable. They gossiped in whispers full of the so called 'unimaginable' power she wielded and how she could destroy them all if she wanted too. After all, she had brought the deadly Uchiha Sasuke back and had somehow defeated Madara and stopped the war while being weakened. (1)

So, out of fear or amazement (she didn't really know) they avoided her, stuttered when speaking to her, and became suddenly alert on her arrival. If someone would ask for her autograph, it would be with fear lacing their eyes – mothers angry at their children for even thinking of approaching her.

The regular, every day kind of people were even worse.

They despised her more and more with each and every day that came and passed.

No longer was she – _just – _a monster in their eyes.

She was a liar, a manipulator, the mother of a demon, and the lover of a killer; someone unworthy of being their Hokage, their hero, or even just a regular person walking on the streets.

They avoided her like some kind of plague and treated her like trash.

It was just like when she was younger again and those memories were too painful to remember.

_(and all she can hear is her own screaming as they _beatcrippleabuse_ her until the screaming stops only because its now hoarse and distorted in a tone that no child should have and she can _feeltheirhands_ and then she shakes her head convincing herself that this is just another one of her nightmares and _notanothermemory_)_(2)

She sighed deeply before filling her lungs to the brim with toxic bliss, containing it until her vision blurred, her chest burned, and her head began to pound. After the exhale, she inhaled sweet oxygen until her nerves tingled and the buzz continued.

She hated how easily these meticulously suppressed memories were slipping past her defensive barrier more and more each day. It was probably the way she was beginning to be treated by the villagers again and the similar experience was leading to the unlocking of these diseases in her past.

During the night, normal children would go home to their families and sleep.

During the day, she was hated and ignored. During the night she would hide in the darkest corners she could find, hoping that _they_ wouldn't find her this time.

Sandaime couldn't be everywhere. He had much more important things to do then babysit one little street rat.

Except this time she wasn't a little girl anymore; the one whose life was so different from others.

Uzumaki Naruto was a big girl now and they _feared her_ more then they hated her. She preferred it that way.

Loneliness, she could handle.

She thinks of Sasuke once again, how these people would do anything to worship the ground he walked on, selling their daughters to him and treating him as a precious treasure. Now, he was just as hated as she was in the village.

The only difference was he hated everyone too.

He wanted them _dead_ but there were no strings attached.

She would be the one to take the blame for not killing him – allowing him to roam the streets.

She would be the one destroyed by the responsibility – never being able to separate her emotions from logical thought.

Then came the eyes. The vivid image on those dark and possessed eyes; bleeding crimson as he stared at her with a scorching hatred that would burn her to her very core.

_Don't touch me_, he had hissed in that deep and demanding voice, slapping away her hand with such ferocity that it was hard to believe that the seal had activated. (3)

She remembered it as clear as day, throwing away the remaining butt of her failed saviour before burying her face into her hands.

He hated her.

He hated this place.

And she forced him to come back without a second thought.

Because _she_ needed _him_.

In fact, if Sasuke was dead, she didn't know what she would do.

She wouldn't be able to survive.

_He_, on the other hand, was perfectly capable of surviving on his own without anyone or anything for company. He didn't need her and he didn't need to be further bound to this place of death and suffering.

_We're all dying_, was her only though as she forced herself up, ignoring her sudden headache to smoke yet another cigarette in hopes that she would begin to feel normal again, since lately, she's been nothing but weak.

She thinks back to every time she and Sasuke had battled it out. Ignoring new thoughts of his mutations, she couldn't help but feel just like her jealous fourteen; preteen self again.

The only thing she really knew how to do was mastered versions of techniques she's known for _years_; whether it came in the form of Bunshin, Rasengan, or simply some temporary control of the monstrous buki concealed within the darkest depths of her eroding soul. (4) The only thing that possessed the possibility of being impressive was her Taijutsu along with the newly acquired knowledge of Senjutsu (which really just added strength to _old_ techniques).

Comparing herself to Gaara and Bee – former and current jinchuuriki – she was far below the belts of average.

She was bland – _tasteless_ – that 'same old, same old' that never changed; lacking that _wow!_ factor that made everyone else so much more interesting and successful.

Power meant nothing if a _chakra_ _beast, of all things,_ was providing it for you.

Power meant nothing when the only person in the entire world capable of fighting you was so much more talented and the weaker were able to blossom faster then she could.

She begins to think of the eyes again…

Tainted with abhorrence; bleeding with wretchedness; spinning with belligerence.

"_Don't touch me"_ he had spat with disgust, comparing her to worthlessness as his insides began to shred.

She was pathetic.

How could she have ever dreamed of becoming Hokage with all these flaws?

She was pitiful at politics, knew nothing of economics, and was down right _horrible_ at keeping things organized and orderly. She knew minimal techniques, rarely used her wind element, and usually just relied on the Kyuubi's chakra along with shadow clones to boost her Taijutsu.

Could someone so average really have a change..?

How dare she even _dream_ of being Hokage; protecting everyone in the village when she still failed to protect and save the _one_ person who meant so much to her?

Sighing in frustration, she began to chew on the burning filter before spitting it out, stomping it out with her foot as her familiar apartment building came into view. She opted herself to relax, smoothing out her ridiculous mop of hair and making sure the glove covered every inch of mutilated skin.

She didn't need to scar her child farther.

Taking in a deep breathe, she closed her eyes, counting to ten before she threw the door open: smile in place.

"Tadaima!" she called cheerfully, kicking off her sandals before placing them neatly on the rug.

"Okaeri Kaa-chan!" a small voice rang out from the washroom before Ryoku ran out to her; brilliantly blue eyes sparkling with happiness as he jumped into her arms. He pressed his face into the crook of her neck, nuzzling his small little nose as she ran her fingers through wet, ink black strands of hair. (5)

He pulled away, cocking his head to the side as he scrunched up his nose.

"You smell bad… Were you with Shikamaru – ojisan?" (6)

"You bet I was kiddo," she snickered, pulling up the frog face hood of his towel over his eyes before rubbing the water out of his hair. What a smart little rascal he was turning out too be…

The youngest Uchiha giggled in response, flailing his arms blindly in hopes of reaching his mother. When he finally caught her arms, she stopped the torment, raising an eyebrow at his disgruntled features and the pout on his lip.

"Why are you wearing such a big glove Kaa-chan?" he murmured, trailing his hand up her arm as he reached for the fold before she caught his hand, bringing it to her lips is she kissed his palm gently.

"Curious huh? Didn't I tell you curiosity killed the cat?"

"Kakashi – jiiji said that cat died nobly!" (7)

"Yeah, well, Kakashi – jiiji is a big liar."

"_Kaa – chan,_ is your hand okay?" he asked with big eyes full of childlike worry and innocence. She could see the fear in his eyes and it killed her to the core that he had developed such a fear over something as silly as her disfigured arm. That is, her 'broken arm' as the true amount of damage was obviously kept secret from the late three year old.

She sighed deeply before placing his small hand on her cheek, looking at him with genuine, heartfelt warmth.

"I'm fine, sweetheart. I just wore it 'cause I think it's cool. Don't you?"

She stretched out her hand, wiggling her fingers near his face as if to further prove her point.

"Your fashion sense continues to appal me…" a teasing voice rang from the bathroom.

She looked up to see Karin, in her own sleep wear as she had apparently given Ryoku a bath and was preparing them for sleep.

"Karin – oba! Look at Kaa – chan's weird glove!" (8)

"_Hey, it's cool!" _the blonde stressed as she rolled her eyes, untangling herself from Ryoku as she smiled sheepishly at the cherry – eyed chakra sensor.

"'Sup cous'," she drawled casually, for once feeling at ease with herself. It had been some what of an exciting closure to find out that Karin was indeed an Uzumaki. For once she wasn't the only one. There was someone out there who she could finally call _blood_ that didn't include her son; someone who had just as many questions as she did; someone to muse about the meanings of family as well as the foreign concept of _clan life_.

She likes to think Karin's influence has helped her understand Sasuke's suffering more.

Then the demon howls and she blinks, snapped back into cold, unforgiving, reality.

Loneliness, she could handle.

Because with Ryoku and Karin she wasn't alone. She had a _family_ for once in her life and that made her want to squeal and dance with childish joy.

They hugged tightly until Karin pulled away, her face twisted in the exact same way as Ryoku's. However, she didn't say anything, her observant eyes flickering towards her protected arm and then switching back to her lamp like orbs.

_We'll talk about this later_ – those fuchsia eyes said. The blonde shook her head lightly.

_Not tonight. _A nod. Then a stern glare.

_We will eventually. _Her nose crinkles. _You smell like smoke._ A sheepish smile.

_I know. We will. But not tonight. _

Having accepted her vow of silence for the evening, Karin squeezes her waist reassuringly before letting go and walking over to Ryoku to say her goodnights.

It gives the exhausted woman some time to prepare his medicine before the cigarettes loose their effect and she begins to curse Karin's name for sake – proofing her house.

Unfortunately, they effect lasted slower then she expected and her fingers began to shake as she prepared a small cup of medicine as well as some to swallow. The pills were for his heart. The liquid was a sedative that combated against his night terrors…

Guilt and panic begin to pool in the depths of her stomach and the blonde began to feel the shock of how much Sasuke could have affected her son… his son…

No one really went into detail with her about how just from the sheer appearance of Sasuke, Ryoku magically figured out that he was his father, activated his Sharringan, had a panic attack, and began to suffer form night terrors. She knew that Ryoku was a bright and prodigal child, but the boy was _three years old. _Granted, he would be turning four soon but during the event he had been _three. _She didn't care how smart he was. There was a missing link and she wasn't as fucking stupid as everyone thought she was.

She wouldn't press Ryoku for details. That was out of the question.

Karin had been taken in separately and wasn't a witness to the event.

_Someone – scratch_ that – _everyone_ was lying to her, avoiding her, and ignoring her in one way shape or form.

So much _for friendship_, so much for _the Konoha nine_.

And so much for that fan – fucking – tastic 'Will of Fire'.

"_Because, Gaki," she started off in a sickly sweet tone. "Uchiha is a ferocious tsunami of agony and hatred, you are an emotional and psychological wreck, and your son is suffering from night terrors just from locking eyes with his biological father. If you see him, he's going to _break you_ all over again and right now, you have a child that needs your love more than ever." _

"_Because he needs sedative to sleep right Baa-chan?" she responds just as sarcastically, the volume of her voice rising drastically as her anger is no longer contained. _

"_Because of some kind of fucking mistake, Sasuke and Ryoku met face to face. Is that fucking it?! Because of those fuckers _incompetence_ my son is psychologically traumatized and my best friend is being tortured for no reason. Is that is? Is that how you rule this fucking city!?"_

_Realizing her outburst at the shock marring Tsunade's face she looks away in shame, not understanding why she was so crazed lately. _

_She was just a ticking time bomb with occasional bursts and she knew that this… wasn't even close to her capabilities of eruption. _

_Surprisingly, she feels Tsunade's hands placed on her shoulders, rubbing them gently as she apologizes with sweet nothings flowering her tone. _

"_I'm sorry for what happened Naruto… Truly, I am. However, for the time being, I think it would be best if you just forgot about him… It's time to move on…_

_It's time to forget about Sasuke."_

* * *

Footnotes:

(1) In case it wasn't clear, Naruto is being sarcastic. These are the rumours circling around Konoha and if you remember _**Ghost Flowers**_, Naruto _did not_ bring Sasuke back. Sasuke brought _himself_ back and he was the one to kill Obito – still known to the general public under the alias of 'Madara'. She's being praised for Sasuke's accomplishments and that further adds to her guilt.

(2) Yes, Naruto is reliving past memories of child neglect, mistreatment, and abuse that she has repressed. If anyone has taken a basic psychology course ( and eventually secondary) you will know that repressing horrific child hood events can lead to a number of disorders in order to keep the mind 'safe' from reliving the trauma of these experiences.

Also, some effects of child abuse and neglect for adult survivors includes: physical health problems (such as slowed development, diabetes, gastrointestinal problems, arthritis, headaches, gynecological problems, stroke, hepatitis and heart disease, weak immune systems, liver troubles, high blood-pressure, etc.), mental heath problems (such as personality disorders, post – traumatic stress disorder, dissociative disorders, depression, anxiety disorder and psychosis), suicidal behaviour, eating disorders and obesity, re-victimisation, alcohol and substance abuse, aggression, violence and criminal behaviour, intergenerational transmission of abuse and neglect, high – risk sexual behaviour, and homelessness.

Naruto has exhibited some physical health problems (as a child she was slower to understand things and was not the brightest child out there; she was always the smallest (look throughout the series at male Naruto when he was younger) (underdeveloped)), mental health problems (depression; anxiety; and now under the Kyuubi's influence psychosis). These problems along with others not mentioned will be developed throughout further chapters. She has also shown high – risk sexual behaviour (conceiving Ryoku) as well as alcohol abuse. Other effects will appear in later chapters.

(3) Going back to the earlier warnings in which I mention Naruto is suffering symptoms of psychosis/ minor schizophrenia this is the first symptom! She never saw Sasuke's eyes. He was still heaving when he slapped her hand away and refused to look at her. The Kyuubi has constructed this image of Sasuke's eyes in Naruto's head to further strain and corrupt her mind. So yes, she is essentially being delusional.

(4) Buki – monster

(5) Tadaima – I'm back (home); Okaeri – informal version of welcome back (home)

(6) Ojisan – uncle

(7) Jiiji – informal version of Grandpa

(8) Oba – informal way of saying aunt (essentially 'auntie')

* * *

**A/N: Hi everyone! Welcome back to the Ghost Flowers trilogy :)**

**Sorry once again for the long wait on the starting of this story, but I wanted to make sure I had everything planned out to a T before starting this. Therefore, this should reduce waiting times as I know exactly what will happen all the way through.**

**Also, because I know everything this time around****, there will be an important poll on my profile with regards to citrus. No – I do not plan to write porn/MA scenes (not for me guys, sorry) but instead of some suggestion, there may be some graphic to what is happening. **

**I warn you however! These are all graphic in regards to Naruto. This does not necessarily mean SasuFemNaru but Naruto/other people. Also, it does not mean romantic at all times nor does it mean straight out sex. I do not want to spoil too much so if you're into spoilers PM me privately and I will reveal the details of the explicit scenes planned. **

**If the majority of the readers do not want these scenes I will reduce the graphic and keep them to suggestion. This does not mean I will take them out! They are very important to the development of the story and they will stay there! However, I do understand that many people may be uncomfortable with this so if needed, the citrus will be eliminated. **


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